JEDDAH: The Ministry of Justice has revealed that there are 639 women lawyers in the country, with only 85 having licenses to practice. This works out to 13.3 percent of law grads, according to a report in an online publication Friday.
The report said that several women lawyers met with the Saudi Bar Association in the Eastern Province recently to raise concerns about training and being able to practice in suitable working conditions.
Bikr Al-Haboub, secretary-general of the body, said local lawyers must be tested before they can get licenses to practice. Several lawyers said that there must be regulations drafted to explain their rights and duties.
Muneera Al-Mansour, a woman lawyer, said many graduates are not provided training by law firms. Some firms even ask them to pay for training, she was quoted as saying.
According to a ministry report, there were 67 women out of 3,400 lawyers in the country at the end of 2015. This has now increased to 85 since the beginning of the year, the report said.
Recently, Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman issued a royal decree appointing 43 judges. The ministry had also created 1,145 judicial posts to support the courts with qualified staff.
The ministry also inked a contract worth SR870.8 million last year with a local company for the construction of 33 courts and notary offices in Riyadh. The ministry has urged all legal practitioners to abide by the country’s laws.
Only 13% of 639 female lawyers are licensed
Only 13% of 639 female lawyers are licensed
Board of Grievances unveils judicial intelligence hackathon to foster innovation
- Registration opens on Sunday, Dec. 28, 2025, and continues through Jan. 20, 2026
RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s Board of Grievances has opened registration for the Judicial Intelligence Hackathon, the institution’s first competition seeking sustainable solutions that harness cutting-edge technology to improve the efficiency of judicial procedures, the Saudi Press Agency reported.
Registration opens on Sunday, Dec. 28, 2025, and continues through Jan. 20, 2026, as part of efforts to cultivate talent and promote innovation in digital transformation and artificial intelligence in the judicial sector.
The board is calling on industry experts, experienced professionals, and university students to form teams of three to five members. Each team must be led by a Saudi citizen or academic staff member at least 18 years old.
Participants register via a dedicated portal on the board’s digital platform and must submit a preliminary proposal demonstrating practical and legal viability, incorporating advanced technology with appropriate quality standards, and showing innovation relevant to the board's operations with transformative impact and long-term sustainability.
Competition unfolds in two distinct tracks. The first addresses AI applications and creative solutions for administrative justice, tackling challenges such as minimizing procedural errors and offenses during virtual court proceedings and streamlining lawsuit filing classifications.
The second track emphasizes digital innovation enhancing user journeys, focusing on simplifying document submission processes when initiating lawsuits and developing accessibility solutions enabling seniors and people with disabilities to navigate board services more effectively.
Finalists are scheduled to be announced on Jan. 23, 2026, followed by virtual project discussion and presentation sessions on Jan. 28.
According to the SPA, this methodology for sourcing innovative concepts underscores the dedication of the board’s leadership to advance performance across judicial chambers and administrative divisions while pursuing strategic goals of refining administrative court litigation processes, expediting case resolutions, and establishing competitive leadership in the judicial arena.
